_______ gsusignai.com for the latest from the signal/urbanite, visit our website! urbaniteEditor in Chief Elijah Sarkeslan esarkesianl ©student.gsu.edu Urbanite Editor Rian-Ashlei McDonald [email protected] Online Editor Sarah Balter [email protected] Copy Editor Shonitria Anthony Production Designer Igor Kondratyuk [email protected] Advertising Coordinator Ona Oghogho [email protected] Distribution Manager Brian Echols becholsl ©student.gsu.edu Contributors Eric Chavez Nykita Garnett T’nisha Poe Brittney Sovik COLUMNS 15 Los Amigos Invisibles 04 The Guidebook 17 Angel and Khriz Signal/Urbanite Assistants Jared Cate 19 Moore in America Zac Gunter COVER Brings More to Atlanta Brad Sansbury Beau Torres 05 Champ Camp Music: Art Scene 08 Lords and Lady 21 Hello, Nice to Tweet Student Media Advisor 09 Hard County You Bryce McNeil [email protected] 23 Blush FEATURES The Signal/Urbanite P.O. Box 3968 10 WonderRoot ALSO FEATURED 44 Courtland Street 11 Rico: The Beginning 27 Photo Session Suite 200, University Center Atlanta, GA 30303 13 Samantha James: 30 @Play Office: (404) 413-1620 Electronic Soul 31 Bitch Bitch Bitch Fax:(404)413-1622 Online: www.gsusignal.com MISSION STATEMENT: The Urbanite shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State University community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, the Urbanite shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional publication environment. The Urbanite shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State University community. ADVERTISING: The deadline for all advertising in the Urbanite is two weeks prior to ad publication. Ads must be print-ready and in PDF format; files can be dropped off on CD-ROM or via email to [email protected]. Please visit our website at www.gsusignal.com for more information, including rates and payment methods. The Urbanite reserves the right to refuse advertisements. STAFF POSITIONS: The Signal and Urbanite accept writing and photography applications on a rotating basis throughout the year. If you are interested in working with The Signal and/or the Urbanite, please fill out an application (available at www.gsusignal.com) and return it to the Student Media Advisor in the Office of Student Life and Leadership (Suite 330, Student Center). THE GUIDEBOOK Effective Coping Strategies Sometimes it can be easy to let the negative aspects of your life consume you. You can become fixated on everything that is going wrong; even to the point where you are sitting on the couch, wallowing in self pity with a gallon of cookie dough ice cream in your lap! Well, I have been there, done that and luckily I have found seven ways that can help you get over life’s many stressors. Strategy 1: Take up a new hobby. Now this may not seem like the most Strategy 5: Check into music therapy. feasible option for many because of the hectic lives many lead. A new hobby can be Music is the perfect way to vent or cry out something small and not time consuming at all everything that is weighing you down. Trying to (i.e. creating a photo album or scrapbook). If get over a break up, just lost your job, school you really want to commit then take up a new stressing you out, family problems, etc. there sport (i.e. skateboarding, biking, or basketball), is a song out there for it all. try learning how to play an instrument or indulge in a few videogames. Strategy 6: Go out. Strategy 2: Learn a new language. Get out of your bedroom, dorm room, house, apartment, condo or wherever you Learn a new language. The challenge reside. Go anywhere. Go for a walk around the of having of having to learn the alphabet all block. Go to the park. Go to the mall. Just get over again is sure to keep you busy and could out of the house. Staying inside and staring at eventually come in handy. the walls does nothing but ensure that your misery has the company of self pity as you Strategy 3: Take a “Personal Day.” confine yourself to your own prison. Also, referred to as the, “Mental Health Strategy 7: Focus on Goals/Future Plans. Day,” this is a perfect opportunity to spend an entire day pampering yourself. Indulge your Refocus all of your energy on something hearts’ desires with things you are normally positive that will help you be able to move unable to do. Get a massage or that mani- closer to all of your goals. Make plans for pedi you’ve been putting off all month. You the future so you can have something to look deserve it! forward to. Strategy 4: Surround yourself with good In the moment every stressful problem people. feels like it is this ugly monster that won’t go away but that only holds true if you let it. These When you are down in the dumps that helpful pointers should at least get you going in is when you need your friends and family the the right direction. After all, every speed bump most and maybe just a bit of mom’s homemade faced on the road to greatness is just that, a cooking. small bump that can be easily gotten over. 0 4 1 urbanite champ camp music By Rian-Ashlei McDonald urbanite 105 Burgeoning independent record label Champ Camp Music, created by two-time Grammy award winning producer D. Smith, finds itself on the verge of prominence amongst the ranks of high-powered mainstream record companies. It is only a matter of time before Champ Camp Music will mark itself as one of the greats in music history. Featuring a current catalog of premiere artists and producers including innovative artists HardCounty and Lords and Lady, music fans are sure to take notice of Champ Camp Music and its fresh and alternative musical style. D. Smith, the mastermind behind Champ Camp Music, acknowledges that the motivation for creating his own label originated from his anxiety with major labels and their ability to control his artists, creative ideas and projects. This is a common sentiment shared by many who opt to go “Indie." Though often times many “Indie" labels do not have the expertise and knowledge to establish themselves as a mainstream label, Champ Camp Music does not have this problem. Smith has worked with Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Jadyn Maria, Ciara and Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes. But his latest projects include mega-producer Diddy and legendary artist, Stevie Wonder. This is certainly an impressive roster considering D. Smith has had no vocal or musical training. He credits his father and grandmother with his first introduction to music. On Saturday nights, his father would sneak him into venues where he would perform and then other young artists and producers who wish to he would join his grandmother at church on do exceptional work in the future. At this rate, Sundays to listen to the choir. When church he is well on his way. instrumentalists were absent, D. Smith would Smith has the likes of Lil’ Wayne lauding fill in; even though he could not read music, his genius, describing Smith as an extremely church members never knew the difference. talented producer. Smith produced and is This introduction was the start of what music featured on “Shoot Me Down,” from the album buffs will one day call Smith’s legacy. The Carter 3, which Lil’ Wayne described as “I am looking to build a legacy, not a the biggest song of his career in an interview resume,” says Smith, “so though I’ve worked for Billboard magazine. with a lot of major artists, gratification to me “That was truly one of the most honorable comes through ground-up work.” moments of my life, he didn’t know me or have This kind of hands on thinking also aided ties to say that,” says Smith. in Smith’s decision to start Champ Camp When Lil’ Wayne heard the track; he Music. He is not inspired by big names or immediately loved it. Wayne described the money, which results in him creating projects song as being relevant to everything he was instead of chasing already existing ones, much feeling “mentally, emotionally and financially,” like his remarkably brilliant role models; Berry which leaves an individual wondering where Gordy and Richard Branson. this spark of creative genius originates. Ideally Smith seeks to become a Smith is unaware of where this creativity household name, a point of reference for hard stems from. work and talent and a form of inspiration for “It just happens.” says Smith. “I may hear 0 6 1 urbanite something in my mind musically and then sit recording. But instant moves must be made down to create it and it becomes something when the energy is high with creativity, which totally different than where I started.” the team uses to create hit after hit. Smith’s keen eye for talent and individuals Observing the Champ Camp Music who have tough skin and a willingness to take team is much like observing a family, lots of his creative direction are important elements to tough love, exchanges of wisdom and hearty what kind of people he likes to have a part of laughter. Possessing the drive and willingness Champ Camp Music. to put in the hard work will insure the eventual “They have to have tough skin, you cannot global success of Champ Camp Music, its make it in this industry without it,” says Smith, artists and the continuation of a tradition of “There has to be more than passion or talent.